Happy Birthday NBF!

My church just celebrated our 3rd birthday on Sunday. When my family started coming to this church there were about 40 people. That was almost 2 years ago. Since then I dont believe there has been a Sunday service when we havent welcomed at least 1 new visitor. Last Sunday they took a count and we broke another record. We were up to about 240 people. Thats 20 more than the previous Sunday! We have almost exceeded the maximum capacity the building will hold. Right now we are located in a strip mall, and have leased 2 buildings next door to each other. There is no carpet on the floor, just concrete. There are no stained glass windows, just pictures painted by someone's hand. Yet to me it is one of the most beautiful places in the whole wide world. It is a House of God.

A year ago or so, a piece of prime property came up for sale. When I say prime, I mean very expensive. We are in the Branson, Missouri area and land here does not come cheap. It is a tourist town that hosts 7 million people a year, and growing. It just so happened that the owner of the property is a Christian, and he wanted nothing more than to see a church built there. I believe he had some other offers on the place, offers that a small church couldnt possibly compete with. He chose our offer. They had an architect draw up some plans. We outgrew those before he was even done drawing them, so he drew another set. With expandable walls. We will be breaking ground any day now.

I have never seen a church grow, not like this. When I first started attending church 8 years ago, I watched that church shrink. I attended another church shortly after. It just happened to be the sister church to the one I was a member of, and it was stagnant. It came as no surprise to me when I heard recently that the pews there were almost bare.

So whats the difference? I know both of those churches had faithful followers of Christ. There is no doubt in my mind that they were Bible teaching churches.

When I left the first church after being a member for 4 years I was pretty confused, discouraged, and disillusioned. I was still a "baby Christian". I cried over leaving there. It hurt. It still hurts. I wont go over the details, because there are too many.

Micah 6:8 says "He has showed you, Oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God."

I did see "good" from that church. I learned alot. I rededicated my life to Christ there. The Lord has shown me mercy and forgiveness everyday I've been alive, and I dont deserve it. So who am I to not forgive and show mercy to those I feel have wronged me? In walking humbly I had to quit blaming, and confess my own sin.

I'm not exactly sure what happened with the other church. I didnt attend regularly, as I said earlier I was pretty disillusioned. My first church experience had made me a little scared. I made sure my babes went though. That was really important to me. I knew they needed the foundation so when they got older they would not depart. My Grandmother started it in me, and my Mom tried. So I know that promise to be true.

The biggest difference I see in the church I attend now and the previous ones is the greatest commandment. Mark 12:30-31 commands us "And you must love the lord your God with all of your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important. 'Love your neighbor as yourself'. "

Love is a verb. Not a feeling. You can give it, or you can receive it. This church is not concerned with the numbers or filling the pews. We are Committed to reaching the lost and seeing them saved. We are concerned with the Great Commission. (Mathew 28:19-20) There are 2 parts to this mission, and I believe some churches get the first part right, and forget the second. Not only are we to make disciples of all the nations, we are to TEACH THEM TO OBEY THE COMMANDS GOD HAS GIVEN US. Again, a verb. If we dont teach them, train them, mentor them, encourage them, they will fall through the cracks. When I became a new Christian I didnt have alot of answers when I asked "what do I do now?" I was on fire and I couldn't contain myself. I tried serving in the childrens department. That was a disaster. I had all of these little toddlers looking to me to teach them about Jesus, and I didnt even hardly know him myself! Then I came across a verse that told me I would be judged on the way I taught these little guys! Talk about feeling like I had grabbed the handle of a hot pan! I dropped that class quick! Fortunately for me, (and those kids!) God sent me a mentor, a trainer, an encourager. I started to grow in the Lord, praying and reading my Bible. And then all this "stuff" started happening. I like to call it "All hell breaking loose." I couldnt have been closer to the truth. I fell hard, and fast. Spiritual warfare. I wasn't equipped with my armour. Huh? More about that later.

Anyway, this is the reason my church is growing. We are reaching out to the lost. The drug addicts, alcoholics, tax collectors. They are all welcome. They are all loved. Rich, poor, needy, we dont care. We want to help them to get saved, then train them to use their story to help save and train others. Jesus said "If you love me, FEED my sheep." (John 21:17) There is alot of hungry sheep out there. The Shepherd will lead them to growing pasture.